Tiger hierarchy orders cadres never to surrender

A Sri Lanka Guardian Exclusive from the NFZ

From Mohan Gunaratnam and Ranjit Surendran in Vavuniya

(April 07, Vavuniya, Sri Lanka Guardian) The LTTE hierarchy or whoever is holding the reins of the LTTE remnants having established the No Fire Zone (NFZ) as their territory, have ordered their cadres never to surrender. If they do, they have been clearly told it will be at the cost of the lives of their families who are being held hostage. If they return to base, they will have to go back for a fresh round of action. As to what happens to their families if they died in action is not known.

The infamous LTTE Pass System is still effective and the LTTE has ordered that only under serious medical conditions any one would be allowed out and for that the medical officer in the NFZ has been empowered as the sole guy who can give that permission. He is Dr Sathyamoorthy, a known LTTE supporter who has also been ordered by the LTTE to be extremely strict about giving permission to leave the NFZ; and that he would be wiser not to as much as possible.

This stricture has placed this doctor and his medical staff in circumstances of raging anger against them from the trapped civilians. The doctors and the medical staff are only allowed to read to the press and various agencies whatever is written by the LTTE and given to them. This is the type of information that is picked up by pro-LTTE media and largely influenced people like Madams Navaneetham Pillay and Arundhati Roy.

Certain information we were able to gather indicate large consignments of arms have been buried in various places in Wanni with the intention of recovering them once the ceasefire Tigers expected was achieved.

It appears that the siege will be completed only after every Tiger cadre there is killed. And it is highly possible that only Pottu Amman is in control. The highly expendable B Nadesan, a low-rung media person, is only the Night Watchman holding the team until ceasefire is achieved.

-Sri Lanka Guardian